The 6th Clan
by Melissa daughter of Hecate
Summary: The 6th Clan. LightningClan. To the other clans, it doesn't exist. They left so long ago, they're nothing more than an elder's tale. They found a new home, far from the other Clans. But when hardships increase, and prophecies are draped in shadows, the destiny of one cat controls their fate. Will LightningClan survive? Or will their light finally die out? (Summary May Change)
1. Clan Members

_Hey!_

_So, I am starting yet another story! This one is a warrior's fic, as you already know. So, in this fic, there are the original 4 clans, SkyClan, and the Tribe, but there is also another clan that lives on its own like SkyClan. This clan is called LightningClan, and despite having no other Clans to war with, it still has many hardships. This first chapter is just the cats of LightningClan, but I'll be posting the prologue and possibly the first chapter right after!_

_-Melissa_

_Disclaimer: If I owned Warriors, I would not be writing this. Therefore I do not own the Warriors series. I also do not own my cover image, which I got off the internet ;)._

**LightningClan**

**Leader:**

**Streamstar- a large tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes and a sleek pelt**

**Deputy:**

**Swiftclaw- a dark tabby tom; standing in for Shadewing**

**Medicine Cat:**

**Skycloud- a white she-cat with amber eyes**

**Warriors:**

**Sunstorm- a fiery ginger she-cat with a matching personality**

**Eagleheart- a huge white tom with blue eyes**

**Leopardclaw- a small brown and plain tabby she-cat**

**Rainpelt- a dark grey tom with amber eyes**

**Dewleaf- a delicate white-grey she-cat with yellow-amber eyes**

**Duststripe- a brown tabby tom**

**Thistletooth- a handsome pale grey tom**

**Apprentices:**

**Stormpaw- a beautiful silver she-cat with blue eyes and a slender build; apprentice to Sunstorm**

**Smokepaw- a smokey grey tom with green eyes; apprentice to Rainpelt**

**Wildpaw- a handsome tabby tom with amber eyes; apprentice to Leopardclaw **

**Queens:**

**Amberstrike- a beautiful reddish gold she-cat with deep amber eyes (Mother of Dawnkit, Frostkit, and Sablekit)**

**Shadewing- a slim black she-cat with knowing green eyes (Mother of Nightkit and Moonkit)**

**Whitefoot- a young calico she-cat with green eyes (Mother of Patchkit and Splashkit). **


	2. Prologue

_Hi again!_

_Here's the prologue! Sorry it is so short. Also, forgot to include the additional information last time._

_Additional Information_

_Amberstrike is mates with Rainpelt._

_Shadewing is mates with Swiftclaw._

_Whitefoot is mates with Thistletooth._

_-Melissa (I STILL don't own Warriors)_

Prologue

Lightning crackled through the sky as thunder shook the stars. But in the cozy nursery of LightningClan, a she-cat was kitting.  
Amberstrike lapped at a soaked ball of moss as Skycloud, the medicine cat, stood over her. She yelped in pain as the first kit, a white tom, slid out. He was quickly followed by his sister, a mottled gold she-kit. Amberstrike turned to look at her kits, but was pushed back against her nest as the final kit was born, a silvery grey she-cat.  
Rainpelt poked his head through the opening. "Is she finished?"  
"Yes. You have two daughters and a son." Skycloud informed him.  
"They're so beautiful." He murmured, gazing down at his mate and kits. "We could call the tom Frostkit."  
Amberstrike nodded. "I like that. And the golden she-cat could be Sablekit. And the silver one...Dawnkit?"  
Her mate bent down and licked her ear. "Welcome to LightningClan, Dawnkit, Sablekit, and Frostkit.


	3. Chapter 1

**Hola!**

**Yes, spell check, I DID spell that right. Anyway, here's chapter 1! Sorry it's short, I felt it'd be wrong to extend it more though. As always, R&R!**

**Disclaimer: I. Own. Nothing. At. All. Got. It?**

Dawnkit squirmed underneath her brother and sister. The kits were just about six moons old, and they had gotten too big for the nursery. Struggling, she finally poked her silver muzzle out from under her sister.

"Sablekit!" she hissed. Sablekit turned over sleepily.

"What?" she mewed.

"Get off me!" Dawnkit hissed again, indignantly. Sablekit rolled off Dawnkit...and landed on Patchkit.

Whitefoot growled, and pushed Sablekit away from her three moon old kits. "I can't wait for you three to be apprenticed." The queen muttered crossly, as she pulled her kits towards her belly.

"Sorry." Sablekit whispered, curling up next to Dawnkit and going back to sleep. The silvery kit sighed. She wished _she_ could get back to sleep, but her paws tingled with anticipation. Streamstar had said their apprentice ceremony would be any day now! Her gaze fell on Shadewing's kits, Nightkit and Moonkit. She wondered how long it'd be until the sisters were apprenticed. _Probably not long_ she thought. After all, they were only half a moon younger than her, and Dawnkit knew that Shadewing was clan deputy. She would have to go back to her duties as soon as possible.

The kit fidgeted again, stretching her hind legs against her brother, Frostkit. StarClan, it was crowded in the nursery. She rolled over, and studied her mother. She was very beautiful, with her graceful build and shining fur. Dawnkit wished she looked more like her mother. Lucky Sablekit. She had inherited their mother's eyes, fur, _and_ build. Frostkit had their father's build and mother's eyes. Dawnkit didn't know where she got her look from her. She supposed her shape was from her mother, but both her parents had amber eyes, while hers were green. Her fur was much lighter than her father's as well. She looked more like Thistletooth than Rainpelt, to be honest. Thistletooth was the father of Splashkit and Patchkit.

Dawnkit sighed heavily, changing position again. How was she supposed to sleep? Finally, she gingerly got to her paws. Checking to make sure everyone else was asleep, she carefully padded outside to the clearing.

LightningClan's camp was in a small ravine. The walls rose high above, protected at the top by thorny bushes. The dirtplace tunnel and main entrance both led off the single gap, fortified by a wall of ferns and bracken. There was another way, a series of pawholds in the space behind the elders' den, but it was dangerous and difficult to use; LightningClan only used it in times of greatest danger. One time, an apprentice had climbed up on a dare. She had fallen, and broke her legs, and she was never able to become a warrior. She became a great medicine cat, but the kits and apprentices were always told of her to stop them from trying to climb up there.

Dawnkit pressed herself against the walls of the nursery, so Duststripe, who was sitting alert at the camp entrance, wouldn't notice her. She backed along the edge of the walls until she reached the small clearing behind the nursery. This was a special place, that only Sablekit and her knew about. Sablekit had found it one day, and then showed it to her. It was tricky to slide under the brambles, but it was a good place to play and talk in secret. Right now, Dawnkit was using it for the fresh air and chance to be alone. She sat in the middle of the clearing, wrapping her tail carefully around her paws, and looked up at the sky. _Can StarClan see me? _She wondered. She had always been fascinated with her Warrior Ancestors. _It couldn't have been that bad, for the she-cat that fell, _she thought. _Being a medicine cat sounds so amazing. Medicine cats get to heal and take care of their clanmates, and they receive important messages from StarClan. If I were her, I'd be happy to be a medicine cat. Warriors just fight and hunt. Medicine cats protect the clan with all their knowledge, and the power of StarClan! I wonder what her name was. Maybe I'll ask Amberstrike tomorrow if she knows._ She mused. _After all, not just any cat can be a medicine cat. She must've been really special. I wonder what types of kits are born with the power to speak to StarClan. Maybe I'll ask Skycloud, too._

Realizing how long she had been sitting there for, Dawnkit reluctantly got up and padded back towards the den. Her paws tingled with even more excitement than before, but they also dragged wearily across the ground, and she curled up in a ball as soon as she got back to the nursery. Her last though before she faded off to sleep was, _Maybe tomorrow I'll be an apprentice. I'll learn how to hunt, and fight. But somehow, that doesn't sound as exciting anymore._

**Trivia of the Day: What was Bluestar's _sister's_ warrior name? (Please don't look it up, if you don't know it, don't answer it. Review anyway though :)!) **


	4. Chapter 2

**Hello!**

**I'm back with the second chapter! Don't expect updates this often, I plan to try for two updates per week, but I felt like writing today. Also, have an extra long one this time- 1,945 words, not counting the author's notes! Well, long for me, I usually write about 1,000 words for a chapter. As always, please review! And thanks to the my two reviewers so far! **

**-Melissa**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my OCs and ideas.**

Dawnkit sat carefully outside the nursery. Amberstrike had just finished fussing over her, and her fur lay smooth and shiny. She had to force herself to sit still, when what she really wanted was to run around and yowl to the sky that she was about to be an apprentice.

Sablekit darted out of the den, and sat next to her sister. Her burnished golden fur, so much like Amberstrike's, gleamed in the sun. "Aren't you excited?!" she meowed happily. "We're going to be apprentices, finally!"

Dawnkit only nodded in reply. Yes, she was excited, very excited. But she also felt like a rock was in her stomach, dragging her down. Nervousness, yes, and something else? _This doesn't feel right, _She thought. _Something's wrong about this, why am I not excited like Sablekit? What's WRONG with me? Becoming an apprentice is what I've been waiting for all my kithood!_

Frostkit finally padded out of the nursery to join his sisters. Like the other two, his fur was spotless, and the white was almost blinding. The three kits instinctively pressed closer together, sitting in a tight line. Dawnkit could hear her brother and sister mewing about hunting and fighting skills.

"I'm going to be the best fighter this forest has ever seen!" Sablekit meowed proudly, and slashed a sheathed paw at her brother's shoulder.

Frostkit leapt out of the way, so her paw just barely grazed his fur. "And _I'm_ going to be the best hunter!" He yowled in reply. Amberstrike poked her triangular head out of the den.

"Sit back down, you don't want to be all dusty for your ceremony." She ordered, but the kits could see the sparkle of laughter in her eyes as she withdrew back into the nursery.

Dawnkit twisted her ears towards the sound of pawsteps on rock, and looked up. Streamstar was padding up the High Ledge. The High Ledge was a rock ledge in the wall of the ravine, near Streamstar's den. A series of ledges led up to a bigger ledge that her den was on, but if you kept going, you could follow some more pawholds up to a huge ledge above her den. "Look." She murmured to her siblings, who spun around and gazed at Streamstar with wide eyes.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the High Ledge!" She yowled.

News of the ceremony had already spread through camp, and the cats pooled together in the clearing, meowing excitedly.

"We are here today to give three Clan kits their apprentice names," Streamstar began formally, her gaze resting on where Dawnkit, Sablekit and Frostkit sat by their mother. Sablekit leaned forward, her whiskers twitching with anticipation. An expectant hush fell over the Clan.

"Come forward." She commanded from above. Dawnkit padded into the center of the clearing, her siblings' pelts brushing her own.

"Eagleheart," meowed Streamstar. "You will be mentor to Sablepaw."

The large white tom walked up to the mottled golden kit and stood beside her.

"Eagleheart," Streamstar went on. "You mentored Sunstorm excellently, and she is a credit to the Clan. You are intelligent and brave, pass on all you can this young apprentice."

"Certainly," Eagleheart purred as he bent down and touched his nose to Sablepaw's. Sablepaw padded after her mentor, her steps bouncing with excitement, to the edge of the clearing.

"Dewleaf." Streamstar paused for a moment to study the young warrior. The delicate she-cat raised her head, her eyes sparkling with pride and defiance. "You will be mentor to Frostpaw."

Frostpaw nodded his head respectfully as his new mentor stood by him.

"Dewleaf," She continued, "this will be your first apprentice. Share your courage and skills with him. I know you will train Frostpaw well, but don't be afraid to turn to the senior warriors for advice."

Dewleaf's eyes gleamed once more with pride, as she bent to touch Frostpaw's nose with her own. Frostpaw purred loudly as he followed her towards the edge of the clearing.

"And finally, Duststripe." Streamstar mewed. "You will be mentor to Dawnpaw."

_Dawnpaw! _Dawnpaw thought excitedly as the handsome tabby tom padded up to her.

"Duststripe," Streamstar meowed again. "Dawnpaw will also be your first apprentice. You are clever and skilled, pass on all your knowledge to her. And don't hesitate to ask for advice."

"Of course." Duststripe promised as he touched his nose to Dawnpaw's. The silvery apprentice followed her mentor to the edge of the clearing as the Clan began to disperse, heading back to their duties. She stood by her littermates as her mentor spoke with the other warriors.

"Aren't you excited?! We're apprentices!" Sablepaw mewed, dancing around her brother and sister.

Frostpaw nodded in excitement, and crouched in front of Sablepaw. He leapt forward and pinned her to the ground, but she quickly slipped free. Dawnpaw watched them play. _Why am I not as excited as they are? _She wondered, puzzled. _Yes, being an apprentice and having my apprentice name is great! But why does this feel wrong? Why do I feel like I shouldn't be here? _The apprentice sighed softly. She couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something was wrong with her.

"Alright," Eagleheart meowed. "Sablepaw and Frostpaw, you two are coming with me and Dewleaf to explore the territory. Dawnpaw, Duststripe is going to take you to the training clearing, and you'll explore the territory later." The large tom turned and headed towards the camp entrance with Dewleaf, Sablepaw and Frostpaw bouncing behind them.

Dawnpaw watched her littermates leave, disappointed she wasn't going with them. She felt Duststripe's gaze on her. "I know you'd like to explore with your littermates," He mewed gently. "But I think we should work on some hunting skills first. That way, we can hunt and explore the territory at the same time. You can train with them tomorrow." The she-cat nodded, and followed her mentor out of the camp.

The training hollow was a sandy area near the camp. It was large, and the sandy ground was level and clear; perfect for training. Suddenly, Dawnpaw realized she hadn't seen any of the older apprentices. "Where are Stormpaw, Smokepaw, and Wildpaw?" She asked.

Duststripe purred in amusement. "They're hunting. Swiftclaw caught them sneaking out of camp last night, and set them to work."

Dawnpaw nodded again. "So what do I do?"

The tabby tom dropped into a perfectly balanced crouch. "This is the hunter's crouch. Try imitating it."

She dropped into a crouch, but it felt awkward. Duststripe shook his head, and adjusted her stance. She felt more balanced now, but it still felt wrong. Dawnpaw looked helplessly at her mentor.

He licked her ear. "Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it. It's only your first day. Keep trying." He reassured her.

So the silver she-cat stood up, then fell into the crouch again. She froze with astonishment. She was carefully balanced. not leaning to either side, her tail swayed above the ground, and her muscles were tensed to spring. Crouching further down, she tensed her muscles just a bit more, and sprang. Dawnpaw soared through the air to land in on all four legs on top of a fern. Duststripe was wide-eyed with surprise.

"Well done!" He praised, still looking shocked. "Can you do that again?" She shrugged, and dropped into a hunter's crouch. It was not as balanced as the first time, but she still felt like she could leap successfully. She narrowed her eyes, staring at a flower, and then pounced. The apprentice landed spot on, the plant crumpling beneath her paws.

Duststripe had her practice crouching and pouncing for a little longer, then suggested they should go back to the camp and eat before exploring the territory. Dawnpaw followed him back into the camp, and picked a vole from the freshkill pile. As she lay near the apprentice den with it, she realized how tired and hungry she was from the training, but the freshkill was delicious, and brought her strength back. She slowly picked at the last bites, thinking about her training. Yes, it had been fun. And Duststripe said she had gotten the crouch down perfectly. But she still felt as if a rock was dragging her down, filling her insides with forbidding. She looked up at the sky once again. It was still light, but the first stars were starting to shine through. _Why do I feel this way, StarClan? Why do I feel like everything is wrong, even when I'm doing it right?_ But the winking stars gave her no answers.

Duststripe padded over to her. "I think we'll save the territory for tomorrow, since it's getting late." He meowed.

"Ok. I'm tired anyway." She replied softly.

The tabby nodded. "You did very well today, by the way. I think you have the makings of a great warrior."

_No, no, no, no! _She felt like shrieking. _I'll never be a warrior! It's all wrong! _But she just thanked him for the praise, and swallowed the last bite of prey.

Dawnpaw watched the tunnel, waiting for Sablepaw and Frostpaw to return. Finally they did, treading slowly, their paws dragging the ground in weariness. "Hi Dawnpaw," Her sister mewed as she headed for the freshkill pile and grabbed a mouse.

"Did you see all of the territory?" She meowed, licking her sister's ear.

Sablepaw nodded excitedly. "It's so big!"

"Duststripe is taking me out to see it tomorrow. I learned the hunting crouch today." She informed her littermate.

The golden apprentice's eyes widened. "Show me?" She begged.

Dawnpaw purred in amusement, and dropped into the crouch. She tensed her hind legs, and pounced on her sister.

"Hey!" Sablepaw yelped, struggling out from under Dawnpaw. The two apprentices dropped into crouches, narrowing their eyes at each other. Dawnpaw swiped a sheathed paw at Sablepaw, but Sablepaw ducked easily, then leapt on top of Dawnpaw. The silver cat yowled and tried to slip out from her sister, but the other apprentice had pinned her firmly down.

"Ok, get off me!" Dawnpaw meowed in annoyance as her sister purred. Sablepaw leapt gracefully off her littermate, as she got to her paws and shook the dust of her fur.

"I'm going to sleep, I'm tired." She announced.

Sablepaw nodded. "So am I. I'll join you- as soon I've finished this mouse!"

Dawnpaw padded off into the apprentice's den. It was empty except for Smokepaw who was lying in a corner, grooming his sleek grey fur.

"Oh, hi Dawnpaw." The dark tom meowed cheerfully. "You can have the nest next to mine if you want, it's empty."

The silver cat nodded in thanks and curled up next to the older apprentice. _I forgot to ask Amberstrike or Skycloud about the apprentice that fell, and became a medicine cat, _Dawnpaw realized as she drifted off to sleep. _I guess I'll ask them about her tomorrow. I feel almost...connected to her, even though I don't even know what her name was. I feel like she's the only thing that's right. Everything else is wrong. I don't feel like an apprentice warrior. I don't feel like I'll be a great hunter or fighter like Sablepaw and Frostpaw do. _But as she fell asleep, her thoughts changed from puzzlement and confusion to an image of a smoky grey tom, his green eyes gleaming with amusement and affection.

**Hope you guys liked it! The answer to the last chapter's trivia was Snowfur. This time-**

**Trivia: What color are Sandstorm's eyes?**

**Also, I need names for Sablepaw, Frostpaw, and Dawnpaw! Also need names for Wildpaw, Stormpaw, and Smokepaw! So, if you have any ideas, submit them in a review, and if I like them, I'll consider using them. Once I've narrowed it down to 2 warrior names for each apprentices, I'll post some polls on my profile to see which you guys, as the readers, like.**

**Ciao! **


	5. Chapter 3

**Hey!**

**Sorry it took me longer than usual to update. I started this chapter on Monday, but didn't get to work on it again until today. Thank you SO much for all the reviews! I've decided every few chapters or so I'm going to reply to reviews, so here it goes. By the way, sorry about the long author's note, I wanted to reply to reviews, and sorry that the actual story part of this chapter is only like 1,131 words. Probably disappointing after last chapter, I promise to try to make the next longer though!**

**lavi0123- Yep, you got the first trivia right. :D Bluestar's Prophecy is one of my favorite Warriors books.**

**Dawnclaw- Snowfur is correct, and Sandstorm's eyes were actually described as pale green I believe, but emerald, pale, close enough. Thanks for suggesting a name for Dawnpaw, I'll definitely consider using Dawnheart!**

**dragontiger- It was Snowfur, not Snowpelt, but easy mistake to make, especially if you haven't read the book in a while.**

**Icefeather (review 1)- Yep, it was Snowfur, and yes I know what you mean by swear on the River Styx LOL. I like doing trivia too :D so I will definitely be doing more, probably every chapter.**

**Icefeather (review 2)- Yes, her eyes are green :). Thanks for suggesting names! Wildpaw is a boy, by the way. Just to clarify, Dawnpaw is female, Sablepaw is female, Frostpaw is male, Wildpaw is male, Stormpaw is female, and Smokepaw is male. I especially like your names for Dawnpaw and Sablepaw :). And I'm actually thinking Smokeclaw for Smokepaw, although I might do Wildclaw, in which case...maybe Smokefur? **

**Jaysong- Thanks! Took me a while to come up with all those names, although some were easier than other (like Amberstrike and Eagleheart were pretty easy). Yep, Sandstorm's eyes are pale green! Thanks for suggesting all those names for Dawnpaw, Dawnfeather and Dawnlight sound pretty cool. I also like Dawnwing, although no one has suggested that yet. As for your questions, well, for the first you'll have to find out (although it seems you already have a pretty good guess) and for the second, what do you think? ;) **

**Amberstrike- Oh, so someone did suggest Dawnwing. LOL, my bad, although I had already thought of that. Anyway, you already know I like Dawnwing, and I also like Dawnpool and Dawnfur. **

**For everyone who has answered at least one trivia correctly, have a virtual cookie! (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::)**

**-Melissa**

**Disclaimer: All I own are my ideas and OCs, nothing else.**

Dawnpaw stood in the center of a grassy clearing, tall pines peaking above her head. _Where- where am I? _She thought, bemused. Tilting her head back to see the stars, she bit back a gasp when she noticed they were moving. The stars seemed to fly down from above until they formed into four cats. The first was a beautiful blue-grey she-cat, with shining blue eyes and an air of command. The second was a powerful tom that glowed like a brand of fire, the third a pretty slender tortoiseshell, and the fourth a handsome reddish brown tom.

"Who are you?" She whispered in awe. "And how did I get here?"

"You are dreaming, little one." The tortoiseshell mewed, an affectionate gleam in her amber eyes. "And we are cats from StarClan. I am Spottedleaf, and this is Bluestar, Firestar, and Oakheart."

The apprentice frowned slightly. "So Bluestar and Firestar both used to lead LightningClan?" She asked, her eyes widening slightly. _StarClan! Why did they visit me? I'm just an ordinary apprentice, not a medicine cat! If only..._

The tortoiseshell hesitate for a moment, until Bluestar stepped forward. "We are not-were not-LightningClan cats. Firestar, Spottedleaf and myself were members of ThunderClan. Oakheart, of RiverClan." _ThunderClan? RiverClan? Does she mean...there are OTHER Clans?_

"But-how..." Dawnpaw stammered. "Why did you come to me in my dreams? And what are ThunderClan and RiverClan? I thought LightningClan is the only Clan!"

The reddish tom, Oakheart, shook his head. "LightningClan is not the only clan, although you live far from the others. In a ravine, a long way from here, is a Clan called SkyClan. Closer, but still far away, ShadowClan, RiverClan, WindClan, and ThunderClan live around a lake. And in the mountains a few days journey away from the lake, there is another group of cats similar to Clan cats." _So many other Clans..._

She was confused. "Why didn't we know of them? And why are you telling _me_ this? I'm only an apprentice!" Spottedleaf and Bluestar exchanged glances.

"Your Clan left the others so long ago, even your elders have long forgotten them. As for why we are telling you this..." Bluestar broke off mid-meow and turned to look at the sky. "The sun is rising. You will wake soon, so listen carefully. Troubles will come soon for your Clan, hardships even StarClan cannot prevent. When that time comes, and you will have by then realized your true destiny, you must tell Streamstar to travel north until you reach a mountain range, then go through the mountains and turn east until you reach the territories by the lake." And with that, the landscape around her disappeared, and Dawnpaw fell through the nothingness until she woke up in her nest with a jolt. She shuddered, still on edge from the dream. _Why did they pick ME? And what about my destiny?_

She opened her eyes and saw Smokepaw looking at her. "'Morning Dawnpaw," He mewed cheerfully.

"Hey Smokepaw," She purred in reply. Looking around the den, Dawnpaw saw that Frostpaw was the only other apprentice. "Where are the others?" She asked.

"Wildpaw and Sablepaw went on the dawn patrol, and Stormpaw got permission to go hunting." He answered. "It's only a bit after sunrise, but Duststripe is probably awake, if you want to go train."

"Ok, thanks." Dawnpaw mewed, and rose to her paws unsteadily. Carefully weaving around the other apprentices, she padded out of the apprentices' den in search of her mentor.

Duststripe was laying next to Sunstorm, eating freshkill. "Hello Dawnpaw" He meowed. "You can go grab a piece of prey, I'll take you out to explore the territory in a few minutes."

The younger cat nodded, and headed over to the freshkill pile. She grabbed a juicy looking mouse, and carried it over to lay by the apprentice den. She quickly ate, then waited patiently for her mentor to finish.

Duststripe ate quickly, then said goodbye to Sunstorm, who purred and twined her tail with his. _Sooner or later, she'll be in the nursery expecting kits! _Dawnpaw thought, amused.

The brown tabby cuffed her over the ear good-naturedly, as if he had guessed what she was thinking. "Alright, let's go patrol the boundaries." He mewed, padding out of the tunnel and into the forest. The silvery she-cat scampered after him, trying to keep up with his longer legs. After a few moments of running, they paused in front of a small brook running through a clearing. Large sandy rocks were strewn about the banks, hot in the sun.

"This is Sun Brook." He meowed. "Cats come here often to bask in the sun, and we occasionally can catch fish here."

Dawnpaw stepped out on a rock overlooking the brook. She studied her reflection in the water, as the cracked stone warmed her pads. The apprentice jumped backwards, startled, as a large fish leapt out of the water, then plopped back in the stream.

Duststripe purred in amusement. "You done?" She glared at him indignantly.

"Come on, there's still lots to see." And he bounded away through the trees, leaving Dawnpaw to run after him again, leaping over ferns and trying not to fall behind.

As the sun climbed higher in the sky, the young she-cat saw the boundaries of her Clan, the group of trees where birds were easy to catch, the twisted tree that had supposedly once been struck by lightning, and even the beginning of the path medicine cats would take to get to the Moonpine. Finally, Duststripe led her back into the camp. Gazing up, she saw that sunhigh had passed while they were exploring.

"When will we go hunting?" She asked.

"There's a hunting patrol out already. We'll leave on the next one." The tabby replied. "Wildpaw and Frostpaw are out hunting for the elders already. You can do whatever you want in the meanwhile, just don't stray far from the camp if you leave."

Dawnpaw nodded, then spotted her sister eating prey by their den. Purring, she raced off towards her.

"Sablepaw! I saw the territory today!" Dawnpaw mewed excitedly.

"Cool! I went hunting!" The mottled apprentice meowed back. Looking at her sister's fiery fur, she remembered the cats from her dream. One of them, a tom, had had a flaming pelt. She struggled to remember the details, knowing that the StarClan cats had told her something important, but it kept slipping away from her. She sighed in frustration.

"What?" Sablepaw asked.

"Oh, nothing." The silver cat said. "I just feel like I forgot something important and I can't remember what it is."

Her sister opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted by Dewleaf racing in the clearing. The she-cat was panting, and her eyes were wide with terror.

"Come quickly!" She yowled. "Leopardclaw, Wildpaw, Frostpaw and I were hunting- and Wildpaw got caught in a fox trap!"

**Hope it wasn't TOO horrible! The answer to last time's trivia, as you could probably tell from the review replies, was green (pale green to be exact). This time-**

**Trivia: What was Crookedstar's warrior name?**

**Please review, keep suggesting any warrior names you can come up with for our apprentices, and I'll see you next chapter! (Which I really want to get up tomorrow, but I doubt it will be. Hopefully I can have it for you by Tuesday.)**


	6. Chapter 4

**Hey again!**

**I am very sorry that it took me so long to update. I ended up being very busy during the week, and did not get a chance to write. Then of course, on Friday, I only got like the first two sentences done because of lack of inspiration. Anyways, here is the newest chapter (FINALLY)! Because I am not a medicine cat, I based some of this chapter of Cinderpaw's injury in Warriors: Power of Three, Dark River. Hope you enjoy it anyway! This chapter was pretty fun to write, and I think I did an "ok" job, although it's certainly not my best work. BIG thank you to Moonpebble of LightningClan and Icefeather for their reviews :D. I love all my readers, but I especially love the reviewers **hint, hint**. Anyways, sorry again about the wait, and on to the story!**

**-Melissa**

**Disclaimer: All I own are my OCs and ideas. I REALLY wish I owned the Warriors books. But I don't. Shame, right?**

Dawnpaw stared at Dewleaf in shock. _Wildpaw is Smokepaw's brother!_ She remembered with a jolt, as her eyes fell on the handsome tom, who was standing motionless by the apprentices' den. "Everyone, remain calm!" Streamstar's commanding voice pierced the silence. "Dewleaf, take Skycloud, Thistletooth and Dawnpaw to the rest of your patrol. Assist Wildpaw as much as you can there, and carry him back to the camp."

"Yes, Streamstar." Dewleaf meowed. The light she-cat gestured with her tail for the three cats to follow her out of the tunnel. Dawnpaw's heart beat fast as she raced after Skycloud. Her paws hurt from pounding over jagged rocks, and catching on large roots, but she forced herself to keep the pace. Wildpaw's life could depend on their speed, after all. _But why did Streamstar add me to the patrol? _She wondered. _Why not Stormpaw, who is Wildpaw's sister? I'm only barely an apprentice, it's not like I'll be any help! _Finally, the four of them skidded into a large clearing. Wildpaw was laying limply on the ground, his back right leg caught in what Dawnpaw assumed was the fox trap. It was oddly twisted and blood was pooling on the ground; the silver apprentice winced at the gruesome sight. Her brother was sitting next to Leopardclaw, his fur bushed out and his eyes wide with horror.

"Let me through," Skycloud mewed urgently, pushing through the rest of the patrol to reach the injured apprentice. She dropped the herbs in her mouth, studying his leg. Dawnpaw recognized poppy seeds, rushes, cobwebs, and some kind of leaf. "I'll need more cobweb. Leopardclaw, Frostpaw, Thistletooth. Get as much as you can" The medicine cat said crisply. "Dewleaf, get more rushes from the stream." The cats left the clearing until only Skycloud and Dawnpaw remained. "Dawnpaw, I need you to help me with Wildpaw."

_Me? What do I do?! What if I end up hurting him even more?! _She panicked. But her denmate needed her, and this wasn't the time to be a coward. "Yes," She meowed strongly. "What do you need me to do?"

"He's in shock. Start licking his chest, while I open the trap and ease him out."

The apprentice bent down over Wildpaw, and began to lick him. His heart beat rapidly beneath his tongue. She could hear Skycloud prying open the fox trap with her claws, the sounds clanging in her ears. She moved backward with her clanmate, as the medicine cat slowly slid him out of the trap.

"Lick more gently now," She ordered. Dawnpaw began to lap Wildpaw delicately, relieved to hear his heart slowing. She scented the herbs as the older she-cat tore open the bundle and chewed the leaves into a pulp, dripping it into the injured tom's mouth. Skycloud sniffed at Wildpaw, examining him. Suddenly. she stiffened.

"What's wrong?" Dawnpaw whispered. She stopped licking, her stomach heavy with dread.

"He's broken his hind leg." Skycloud replied unsteadily.

"We can bind it with the rushes, right?" The apprentice suggested. _What do we do, what do we do?! Oh, StarClan, I'm not a medicine cat. Give me the strength and knowledge to help my denmate, to help Smokepaw's brother._

"Here!" Dawnpaw tugged one of the rushes free, and shoved it towards Skycloud. She jerked, and then took it. The silver cat felt a wave of relief as she lay it beside Wildpaw's broken leg and took another. She passed her the few cobwebs they had, and she carefully began to bind the rushes to his leg. "We need to secure it until we can get her back to camp." Skycloud mewed. "Then I can set the break properly."

Thistletooth, Frostpaw and Leopardclaw rushed back into the clearing, dropping their cobwebs and resting near the edge. As Dawnpaw got up to get them, Dewleaf darted in and set down some rushes before padding over to join the others. She quickly gathered the supplies and ran back over to Skycloud, passing the medicine cat her supplies. The older cat's paws flew back and forth as she wove the rushes and cobwebs together. When she had finished, Skycloud sat up gingerly. "Leopardclaw, Frostpaw, you help Thistletooth carry him back to camp. Make sure his leg moves as little as possible." Dawnpaw trembled with fear and exhaustion as she followed her clanmates on unsteady paws. Somehow, she kept herself going all the way back to LightningClan's camp.

"How is he?" Streamstar asked when they entered.

"Stable for now. Dawnpaw was a great help in binding his leg, which was broken." Skycloud meowed.

Their leader looked faintly surprised. "Were you, now?" She asked curiously to the apprentice.

She shrugged, still shaking. "I only did what Skycloud told me to do. StarClan gave me strength to heal my clanmate."

The tortoiseshell looked thoughtful, but simply nodded in reply as Thistletooth, Leopardclaw and Frostpaw carried Wildpaw into the medicine den. Dawnpaw stumbled over to the freshkill pile, where she grabbed a mouse and retreated to the ferns by the apprentice den. She felt fur brush against her side as Smokepaw padded out to join her. A purr rose into her throat, as she pushed over the mouse to share with him.

"Thanks," He murmured. "For helping my brother."

She shook her head insistently. "I didn't do anything. It was all Skycloud."

He looked faintly amused. "We both know that isn't true." Smokepaw meowed, but agreeably changed the subject. "So, do you think he'll be okay?"

Dawnpaw hesitated. "I don't know. When we found him, it looked really bad. Skycloud is skilled though. She'll heal him, right?" She asked nervously.

"Right..." The smoky apprentice said, as if he was trying to convince himself as much as her. She purred again reassuringly, and twined her tail with his. He stiffened with shock for a moment, then purred back and licked her ear gently. Dawnpaw felt like her paws were floating on clouds, until...

Skycloud appeared at the entrance to her den. "Dawnpaw, can I talk to you in my den for a moment?" She requested.

"Of-of course." She stammered, and rose to join the white she-cat. Once they were inside, Skycloud wrapped her tail around her paws and sat quietly for a moment. Dawnpaw looked at Wildpaw, who was sleeping peacefully in a nest while she waited.

"Will he be alright?" She mewed, breaking the silence.

The medicine cat seemed to pull out of her thoughts. "Yes, he will live and his leg will heal. Whether it will be permanently damaged...well, I can't say yet."

She sighed softly, knowing the risks of her fellow apprentice's leg not setting properly, yet still wishing he could make a full recovery.

"You know, Dawnpaw, I'm getting on in years." Skycloud meowed carefully. "I'm not as young as I used to be, and while I still hope to be here a good while longer, LightningClan will need a medicine cat once I'm gone."

Dawnpaw nodded, confused. _Where is she going with this?_

Skycloud's amber gaze met her green one. "Dawnpaw, how would you feel about becoming LightningClan's next medicine cat?"

** Sooooo... Will Dawnpaw become a medicine cat? Or will she stay an apprentice warrior? And how will a certain _someone_ fit into this picture? See you guys next chapter! ;)**

**The answer to last time's trivia was...Crookedjaw! This time-**

**Trivia: What was the first Dawnpaw's warrior name? (The Dawnpaw from the books)**


	7. Chapter 5

**Hai!**

**I'm back! :D I loved writing this chapter so, so much! Major plot bit here, also the beginnings of a twist I am planning. :D I have so many ideas coming in for this story, and I actually already have an idea for the second and third in the series. There are going to be either 3 or 4 by the way. Anyway, enjoy this update! I know, it's actually a decent length and in a reasonable amount of time, too. Well, inspiration strikes when it strikes. Here are the review replies, thanks for all the lovely comments by the way.**

**Moonpebble of LightningClan- Yep, you got the trivia right, it was Crookedjaw! Thanks for suggesting names for my apprentices too c: I especially like the ones for Stormpaw, Sablepaw and Wildpaw. **

**Icefeather (Chap. 5)- Yes, it was Crookedjaw. LOL, easy mistake to make in mixing up the genders, I often have to look back to the allegiances to double check when I'm reading warriors fanfics. Yes, Sunstorm will be having kits :D. And I could definitely use those name suggestions now. Your welcome for the cookie, and I'm posting more this chapter too!**

**Silentclaws- Wow! I checked, and Dawncloud actually is correct! I was thinking of Dawnpelt, daughter of Tawnypelt and Rowanclaw, but you are definitely right! Please take 2 cookies from the list at the bottom for that :).**

**WarriorsFan247- Yes, you are correct.**

**Dawntail- Yes, the answer was Crookedjaw.**

**Guest- Thank you for the names and suggestions! No, I am not planning on Sunstorm dying while kitting...I really want her to survive, I like her :D. As for tragic death, don't worry! There shall be death! :D I have an evil little plot right now involving a character dying,**

**Doomed Character: What?!**

**Me: Sorry. I like you, but you have to die!**

**Doomed Character: :( But I thought you were gonna kill off xxxxxxxxxx**

**Me: Well I still might. But you'll probably die. Hehehehehe...**

**Icefeather (Chap. 6)- Yes, Dawnpelt is correct (or an acceptable answer anyway, see my reply to Silentclaws). You'll find out her answer this chapter ;D. Wildpaw as a med. cat? Hmm...well I guess I haven't portrayed his character much, but it doesn't really fit his personality. Besides I have a mate picked out for him already...*laughs evilly about secret? What? o0 did I give away too much? Shut up, self!* Also, forgot to say. I decided not to use Dawnshadow for Dawnpaw's warrior name (which I have already decided on, not 100% though by the way), however, it was such a cool name I decided to use it ANYWAY! You'll understand after reading this chapter, just wanted to let you know :). **

**Cookies for those who reviewed:**

**(::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::)**

**-Melissa ;)**

**Disclaimer: Roses are red, Violets are blue, I no own, And you no sue.**

* * *

Dawnpaw's heart leapt with excitement at Skycloud's words. _I could become a medicine cat! I could heal my clanmates, and advise the leader, and predict signs from StarClan! But...I'm just an ordinary apprentice, how can I do all that?_ But just as she realized that, a rasping voice whispered in her ear. _**"Troubles will come soon for your Clan, hardships even StarClan cannot prevent. When that time comes, and you will have by then realized your true destiny, you must tell Streamstar to travel north until you reach a mountain range, then go through the mountains and turn east until you reach the territories by the**_** lake." **The words sounded oddly familiar, but she couldn't recall where she might've heard them before. The silvery apprentice's mind raced, shooting through the possibilities. _'Your true destiny'? Am I really destined to become a medicine cat? _Realizing Skycloud was still waiting for her answer, she raised her head and met the medicine cat's gaze. "You really mean it?" She breathed, still shocked by how fast time seemed to be moving.

The white she-cat dipped her head. "Yes, I do. You showed the qualities of a true medicine cat, back with Wildpaw."

"Then yes," Dawnpaw meowed strongly.

"Are you sure?" Skycloud cautioned, her amber eyes filled with sympathy...and was that regret? "You know, you will never be able to take a mate, or have kits, if you follow this path. You will live a life none of your clanmates fully understand."

"But it's worth it," The apprentice argued confidently. "I know this is what I want, I've wanted it ever since I was a kit, really. I just never realized it. Can I ask you something, though?"

"Of course, what is it?" The older cat asked.

"The apprentice that fell, the one that had to become a medicine cat. What was her name?" Dawnpaw mewed, her paws tingling. This was important, she could feel it.

Skycloud's gaze darkened with unreadable emotions. "Why do you want to know?" She hissed, her tone suddenly angry.

Dawnpaw stepped backwards nervously. "I was just curious. Something about her always has intrigued me; she inspired me at first to want to become a medicine cat." She answered truthfully.

The medicine cat's eyes softened. "I see. Ironic that you would ask, because she was your namesake. Dawnpaw at first, and later Dawnshadow. She was a noble cat, at least..." Her voice trailed off.

"You knew her?" The silver she-cat asked, surprised.

"Yes," Skycloud replied carefully. "I knew her very well."

"How did she die?" Dawnpaw questioned her again, the medicine cat's guarded answers only making her more curious and wondering why she had never met Dawnshadow, if Skycloud had known the former medicine cat. But the white cat looked away and did not respond.

"You should go eat. If you're still sure this is what you want, we can talk to Streamstar in the morning.

"But I want to become a medicine apprentice now!" She protested. "Besides, I'm not hungry."

Her soon-to-be mentor shook her head in amusement. "Very well. You'll have to tell Duststripe though, you know."

The silver cat's heart sank at the thought of telling her mentor that he was losing his first apprentice. She would miss training with the tabby tom. "Now?" She asked in a small voice.

"Yes, now," Skycloud sounded sympathetic but stern. "This is what you wanted." She reminded the apprentice. Tail low, Dawnpaw padded out into the main part of the camp.

Duststripe was sharing tongues with Sunstorm, who was looking unusually plump. _Must be expecting his kits,_ she thought dully. Paws dragging up dust, she slowly walked up to her mentor and his mate.

"Did you need anything, Dawnpaw?" The tom asked cheerfully, his eyes taking in her downcast appearance. Sunstorm raised her head, her brilliant amber eyes alert. _She looks a lot like Amberstrike,_ Dawnpaw realized, then remembered the two she-cats were sisters.

"I- I need to talk to you about s- something." She stammered.

Her mentor shared a slightly worried glance with Sunstorm. "Go on," He mewed encouragingly.

"Idon'tthinkI'mreallycutouttobeawarrior!" She blurted out.

"Come again?" The fiery she-cat asked, her ears twitching.

"I don't think I'm really cut out to be a warrior," Dawnpaw repeated slowly. "I love training, but everything just feels wrong! I felt more at home panicking over treating Wildpaw back in the clearing than I did learning the hunter's crouch. And even when I'm doing the moves right, it still feels like I'm trying to pull against a current!"

Dawnpaw expected to see anger and disappointment, but Duststripe looked understanding and sympathetic. "I see..." He murmured. "Dawnpaw, it's okay. I'll miss our training, but if you don't feel like you're supposed to be a warrior, I can't think of anything worse than you continuing to train as one. Now, as you trudged so gloomily out of Skycloud's den, I assume you'll be training as a medicine cat?"

"Yes," She meowed, still shocked by his calm acceptance. "Skycloud was going to tell Streamstar after I told you."

Sunstorm purred in amusement. "Streamstar won't be pleased about that!"

"Well, I wasn't exactly going to tell her!" The silver apprentice meowed jokingly.

"Of course not, and I won't either, if you'll do something for me. Can you tell Streamstar that Duststripe and I have an announcement to make after she tells the Clan your new mentor?"

"You're expecting kits, aren't you?" Dawnpaw said, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.

"Yes, she is." Duststripe purred with happiness, and twined his tail with his new mate's.

"Congratulations! I'll go tell Skycloud." She meowed, and dashed back to the medicine cat den. The smell of herbs seemed comforting, despite what they were used for, and Wildpaw was still sleeping peacefully in a nest.

"Well?" Skycloud asked, raising an eyebrow at her hurried entrance.

"I'm going to be your apprentice! Oh, and Sunstorm's expecting Duststripe's kits!" She yowled happily.

The white cat cuffed her lightly over the ear. "You don't need to tell the whole Clan, not yet at least," She scolded. "Now, let's go inform Streamstar there's been a change in mentoring."

Dawnpaw bounded out of the den and waited impatiently for the older cat at the foot of the pawholds leading up to the leader's den. The medicine cat walked more slowly, casually padding over the smooth earth. She leapt gracefully up the ledges in the cliff, while the younger she-cat struggled up after her. Streamstar was resting in her den while Swiftclaw gave a report. The two cats waited patiently at the entrance.

"If that is all, you may go then Swiftclaw. Thank you." Streamstar mewed, then noticed her newest company. "Ah, Skycloud, Dawnpaw. Come in. I wondered when you would visit me."

The two cats padded in, and nodded respectfully to their leader. "Dawnpaw wishes to train as a medicine cat apprentice," Skycloud meowed.

"I wondered if she would choose to do so, after the incident with Wildpaw. Something tells me she'll make a fine medicine cat. And Duststripe?"

"He thinks it's for the best, if that is what I want to do." Dawnpaw mewed, hesitant about addressing her leader. "And Sunstorm wanted me to tell you she is having Duststripe's kits."

The tortoiseshell's eyes softened at the mention of new kits. "Very well. I will announce this to the Clan at once, if you are sure about this?" She directed the last part towards Dawnpaw.

"Yes, I know what I am supposed to be now."

"Then we will have the ceremony now." Streamstar got up and stretched, then crouched on the ledge outside her den. Her muscles tensed as she leapt the distance to the High Ledge, alighting gracefully on the rock. Dawnpaw scampered up the smaller ledges and pawholds after her new mentor, after making sure her pelt was sleek and clean. Her paws tingled with excitement at becoming a medicine cat, while she tried to keep her fur from bristling with the fear of failing.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather here beneath the High Ledge for a Clan meeting!" Streamstar yowled, her green eyes glinting in the sun. Cats began to file out of their dens and grouped together under the ledge, blinking in the bright light. Most of them looked confused, although Duststripe and Sunstorm looked pleased. Dawnpaw noticed Sablepaw and Frostpaw looking up at her worriedly near the other apprentices.

"We are here today because one apprentice has decided to follow a path few cats choose," The leader began. Hushed murmurs rippled through the Clan.

"Dawnpaw, come forward." She directed. The silver apprentice stepped forward, lifting her chin high. "Skycloud?" Streamstar asked, gesturing with her muzzle for the medicine cat to speak.

Skycloud stepped forward. "Cats of LightningClan," She mewed. "I have an announcement to make. As you know, I am not a young cat, although I hope to live for a good amount of seasons longer. However, it's time I took an apprentice. So I've chosen the cat with the most potential I've seen since my own late mentor, Dawnshadow." More whispers were heard at this part. "Your next medicine cat will be Dawnpaw."

A chorus of pleased meows broke out. Dawnpaw wrapped her tail around her paws as she sat on the ledge, eyes shining and fur groomed. She lowered her head shyly as the Clan yowled congratulations. Sablepaw and Frostpaw were jumping up and down with excitement as they cheered for their sister.

"Dawnpaw," Streamstar spoke up over the noise. "Do you accept the post of apprentice to Skycloud?"

Dawnpaw lifted her head to look up at her leader. "Yes, I do." She meowed clearly.

"Then at the half moon you must travel to the Moonpine to be accepted by StarClan. The good wishes of all of LightningClan go with you. Also, Sunstorm has asked me to announce that she is expecting Duststripe's kits, and will move into the nursery soon." Skycloud stepped forward to touch noses with her new apprentice, then the two cats half jumped, half slithered down from the ledge. The rest of the Clan gathered around the new apprentice, chatting excitedly, while the queens moved to congratulate Sunstorm. Frostpaw pressed his fur to his sister's, his eyes glowing with pride, and Sablepaw kept bouncing up and down.

"I'm so happy for you!" She squealed. "You'll have to teach me about all the healing skills you learn!"

"Only if you promise to teach me all the fighting moves you learn," Dawnpaw meowed back, nudging her sister playfully.

"Of course I will," Sablepaw promised, her amber eyes gleaming with excitement. Dawnpaw purred as her siblings and clanmates swirled around her, but her gaze kept drawing back to one tom. Smokepaw, who stood at the edge with the hurt and betrayal fresh in his deep green eyes.

* * *

**Sooo...Dawnpaw's a medicine cat now! c: Finally! But seems a certain grey apprentice isn't too happy about that decision. Poor Dawnpaw!**

**Dawnpaw: You are the one making life so hard for me**

**Me: Well, duh! I have to make it exciting for the readers**

**Dawnpaw: So you don't care about MY life?**

**Me: I have good things planned out for you too, don't worry! c:**

**The answer to last time's trivia was Dawncloud! (Dawnpelt also accepted because of my own mistake). This time-**

**Trivia: What ThunderClan queen lost a deaf kit to a bird of prey in the first series?**

**Don't forget the 3 R's- Read, Review, Recommend! I don't mind not recommending, but please review if you're reading this! c: thanks! see you all next time!**


	8. Chapter 6

**Hey :)**

**Someone give me a pat on the back for super quick updating! :D Here is the newest chapter. Not as long as the last one, but still a decent length. The beginning is slow and boring, but necessary. Whereas the second half is a bit more interesting. There WILL be excitement coming up, don't worry. Just not yet. Thanks to Moonpebble of LightningClan and charmerleon for reviewing. Also, remember, reviews are my inspiration and source of fuel for writing! More reviews = sooner updates, with longer and better quality chapters. **

**-Melissa (*-*)**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Warriors, then Feathertail AND Silverstream, two of my most favorite characters, would not have both died! See, wouldn't the world of warrior cats be SO much better if I owned it? Just kidding ;). Maybe. **

"Dawnpaw!" A sharp voice broke through the silver apprentice's daydreaming.

She tilted her head to look at her mentor. "Sorry?"

Skycloud sighed. "Once again. Frostpaw comes in and has a thorn in his paw. What do you do to fix it?"

Dawnpaw scoffed inwardly at the easy question. "You lick it and then pull it out with your teeth. Also, if you have water nearby you can have him soak his paw."

The white she-cat still looked frustrated with her apprentice. "Yes, but what herb do you put on it?"

Dawnpaw racked her brains for the answer. _What was it again...? _"Marigold?" She mewed hesitantly.

"No, Dawnpaw," Skycloud meowed patiently. "You use dock for thorn scratches."

She lowered her head in embarrassment. "Sorry," She muttered, sweeping the ground with her paw. She knew she should be focusing, but ever since her ceremony the three sunrises, she couldn't think of anything but the look in Smokepaw's eyes. She had tried talking to him, but he seemed to be purposely avoiding him the whole time.

Her mentor shook her head, but Dawnpaw could tell she was still disappointed. She instantly felt guilty for letting her down. "Why don't you just go out in the forest and bring me back some tansy?" She suggested.

"Ok," Dawnpaw mewed glumly. She padded out into the clearing and through the tunnel into the forest. The trees rose high above her head, sunlight dappling through their leaves to touch her pelt. She sniffed the air, trying to recall the musty scent of the tansy from the stores now that she was out in the fresh sun. _It looks a lot like yarrow, but it tastes more like grass, _She remembered. Catching no scent, she decided to just take a walk and look as she explored. She noticed a clump of spindly plants on her way to Sun Brook. "Horsetail- good for infections." She recited under her breath as she darted forward and tore off some leaves. Now carrying the plants in her mouth, she pushed through some ferns and stepped in sight of the brook. Dawnpaw laid the horsetail down carefully at the edge of the clearing, then walked over to the water. It streamed over the rocks, creating a pleasant rushing noise. Feeling the sudden urge to hunt, she sat by the edge with her tail wrapped carefully over her paws, watching for movement. _Wait...did Duststripe ever teach me how to hunt fish? Nevermind. I know you just have to grab it and be quick._

After several failed attempts, Dawnpaw finally realized she had to aim for where the fish was going to be, not where it was. A couple failed tries later, she had a medium-sized silvery orange fish lying at her paws. _Won't Skycloud be pleased that I'll bring back her herbs AND freshkill for the Clan, _She thought happily, before remembering something. _Oh no! I forgot all about the tansy! _Dawnpaw looked up at the sky. The sun was dipping beneath the trees, just touching the tops of the tallest ones. She and Skycloud would have to leave for the Moonpine soon. Leaping up from the rock she was sitting on, she snatched up the fish and the horsetail, and dashed out of the clearing. On a stroke of rare luck, she stumbled into a bunch of long-stemmed plants with thin, spiky leaves on her way back. Grabbing some, and praying to StarClan she was right about it being tansy, she shot through the camp just as the sun fell out of sight.

Skycloud was pacing in front of her den, looking annoyed. "Dawnpaw!" She growled when she saw her apprentice. "Where have you been?! I know for a fact it shouldn't take you that long to get tansy, and we're going to be late for moonhigh if we don't hurry." Not for the first time that night, Dawnpaw ducked her head in shame and embarrassment.

"I'm sorry Skycloud. I stopped to gather some horsetail, then to teach myself how to fish at Sun Brook. I guess I just lost track of time." She meowed regretfully.

The medicine cat swished her tail in annoyance. "Put that on the freshkill pile, and the supplies in my den, then we'll go to the Moonpine. If we hurry, we can still make it."

The silver cat darted off to do what her mentor said, and quickly joined her in climbing up the stones that led out of camp. Both she-cats were quiet as they started down the path to the Moonpine. _Why is she being so quiet? I know I messed up, but I just started! I'll do better in the future, right? _Dawnpaw wondered anxiously. It was a long walk, the stones biting deep into her pads as she struggled to keep up with Skycloud's longer legs.

Skycloud looked back at her struggling apprentice. "We're almost there," She mewed quietly but encouragingly. "Only a little farther."

Finally, after scampering up two more ridges, they had arrived at the Moonpine. A tall pine rose alone between hilltops, its long needles glowing silver in the moonlight. The moon rose directly above it, signaling that it was moonhigh. The roots stuck up, making a cave at the base of the tree.

"When we go under the roots, touch your nose to the pine needles and close your eyes." Skycloud murmured gently. "StarClan will send you sleep, so you may dream with them and become a true medicine cat of LightningClan."

"But- but what if they don't accept me?" Dawnpaw asked fearfully.

Her mentor's amber eyes softened. "They will. You have the spirit of a true medicine cat, Dawnpaw, even if you have not seen it yet." The two medicine cats proceeded down the hill and into the cave of roots. The silvery apprentice watched as Skycloud curled up and pressed her nose to the bed of silver needles. She did the same, closing her eyes and waiting for StarClan to send her sleep.

When no sleep came, Dawnpaw began to worry. All she felt was incredible cold. She tentatively opened an eye to ask Skycloud, then both her eyes flew open in shock. She was standing in a large clearing with tall trees, mostly pines, rising above her head. One incredibly gigantic tree stood in the middle. A beautiful silver she-cat with black tabby stripes was sitting at the roots of the tree, waiting.

"Greetings, young Dawnpaw," She purred. "I am Dawnshadow, former medicine cat of LightningClan. I taught dear Skycloud before she taught you."

The apprentice's eyes grew wide with shock. "Skycloud told me about you..."

The tabby cocked her head. "Did she now?"

"Yes, but she didn't tell me much." Dawnpaw clarified. "Why did I never meet you?"

"You were born after my death, little one," Dawnshadow purred again. "Skycloud does not like to speak of me much...nor does Rainpelt."

"Rainpelt?" She asked curiously. _What does my father have to do with Skycloud and Dawnshadow? _

"Rainpelt and Skycloud are littermates." The StarClan cat explained. "As for why they dislike talking about me...that is a story for another time."

She bowed her head in quiet acceptance. "Does StarClan approve of me training as a medicine cat?" She mewed.

"Yes, we do." A familiar voice rasped, as a shaggy grey she-cat appeared out of the trees. With a jolt, Dawnpaw placed the voice. _She's the one who whispered to me in Skycloud's den! 'Troubles will come soon for your Clan' and...and something about destiny and traveling. _

"Ah, Yellowfang," Dawnshadow meowed, her green eyes, so much like Dawnpaw's, narrowing. "It's been a long time."

"It has." The old she-cat acknowledged, then fixed her fierce yellow eyes on Dawnpaw. "StarClan does accept you as an apprentice, young kit."

"I'm not a kit!" Dawnpaw snarled angrily.

"At my age, you all appear kits," The old she-cat meowed with amusement. "An important destiny awaits you."

"It has to do with that prophecy, doesn't it?" She asked, the wording returning to her mind. "'Troubles will come soon for your Clan, hardships even StarClan cannot prevent. When that time comes, and you will have by then realized your true destiny, you must tell Streamstar to travel north until you reach a mountain range, then go through the mountains and turn east until you reach the territories by the lake.'"

Dawnshadow and Yellowfang exchanged an uncomfortable glance. "Yes, and no," The younger tabby finally mewed. "You play an important part in the destiny of your Clan, that is true. But three is a very important number in prophecies."

Dawnpaw stared at her. _Three?_ "What does that even mean?" She protested.

The two she-cats simply shook their head. "You will understand everything in time, little one." Dawnshadow replied affectionately as she and Yellowfang disappeared along with the clearing, dissolving back into the stars.

Dawnpaw shot up by the Moonpine, panting. Skycloud was gazing at her worriedly. "What did you dream of? Did StarClan accept you?"

She nodded, but did not speak. As she trembled with sweat, she could hear Dawnshadow and Yellowfang speaking to her. _**"Troubles will come soon for your Clan, hardships even StarClan cannot prevent. When that time comes, and you will have by then realized your true destiny, you must tell Streamstar to travel north until you reach a mountain range, then go through the mountains and turn east until you reach the territories by the**** lake. But beware, young Dawnpaw. Your destiny is not what you think it is, and what you think it is may be the destiny of another."**_

**So, not a super exciting chapter, but Dawnpaw has finally met her namesake, Dawnshadow! Also I brought Yellowfang in the picture, she has always been one of my favorite characters. I literally cried when she died in the first series :(. Well, not crying exactly, but close to it. WHY DID SHE HAVE TO DIE?! :((((((! Anyways, last time the trivia answer was Speckletail. This time-**

**Trivia: Who has two thumbs and REALLY wants you guys to review? Who has silver fur and doesn't have thumbs, but STILL really wants more reviews? **

**Dawnpaw: *points to Melissa***

**Melissa: *points to Dawnpaw***

**LOL, true, but just kidding. Here's the real trivia!**

**Trivia (2 this time!):**

**1. What is the only Clan that does not have any of Brambleclaw/star's kin in it?**

**2. Who was Leafpool named after? (Hint- 2 cats, both she-cats. And I mean the "Leaf" part of her name btw ;)) **


	9. Chapter 7

**Hey again,**

**So, here's the next chapter! Also have a few things to address. One, thanks to LuckShine, Icefeather, lightning bird, and Pi for reviewing. Two, Pi commented that he/she got bored reading this. So I'm sorry that this story hasn't been super exciting lately, but things will pick up a lot after Dawnpaw gets her medicine cat name. The problem is, I can't have anything super interesting like gatherings or fights between Clans, because LightningClan doesn't even know the other Clans exist! Sorry about that, but I hope you'll stay reading until I can make things more exciting. This is my first long fanfic, and I'm still learning on how to make it interesting :). The answer to the first trivia question was WindClan, although as Icefeather kindly pointed out, SkyClan could also be the answer. Oops! Sorry bout that, I really need to make sure my trivia only has one answer to it unless I put say two! The answer to the second trivia was Spottedleaf and Leafstar.**

**-Melissa**

**Cookies for reviews: (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::) (::)**

**Disclaimer: No soy dueño Warriors. Thank you Google Translate, because I did not know how to say own in Spanish! Btw if you speak Spanish, and that is not how you say own, blame Google Translate. **

Dawnpaw stretched, clawing at the moss in her nest. She felt exhausted; she and Skycloud hadn't gotten back from the Moonpine until it was nearly dawn. She saw Skycloud looking at her sympathetically from over where she was mixing herbs.

"You can have the day off if you'd like, it's always a tiring journey the first time." She offered. Dawnpaw nodded gratefully as she pulled herself up.

"Can I go see my littermates?" She asked. _And Smokepaw. _

"Of course, but don't bother them if they are training." The older medicine cat replied.

_I know that, I'm not a kit!_ Dawnpaw thought crossly, but nodded again and padded out of the medicine den. Most of the cats were away, hunting or checking the borders, but a few remained in the camp. She spotted Frostpaw eating a squirrel by the apprentice's den, but Nightkit bounced up to her before she could walk over to him.

"Hey Dawnpaw, guess what!" The kit squealed in excitement. Dawnpaw licked her head gently, remembering all the times she had played with her and her sister before she was apprenticed.

"What?" She asked.

"Moonkit and I are becoming apprentices today!" She yowled, running around the medicine apprentice's silvery paws.

Dawnpaw felt a rush of happiness for her former playmate. "Awesome!" She mewed happily. "I'll be cheering for you tonight then."

"Yep!" She meowed, and then dashed off towards Shadewing, who was watching her daughter with fond eyes. _It'll be good to have her back as our deputy again. _

Turning her paws back to her original course, she headed over to her brother and laid down next to him. "Hey," She purred.

Frostpaw looked up from his prey, his amber eyes sparkling in pleasure. "Hi," He mewed back. "How's training as a medicine cat?"

"Good. It's really fun to learn all the herbs, even though it's sometimes hard to remember which herb is used for what. And StarClan spoke to me for the second time at the Moonpine."

"The _second_ time?" Frostpaw asked, twitching his ears.

Dawnpaw hesitated for a moment, thinking. "They spoke to me in my dreams when I had just become an apprentice...to...tell me my destiny was to become a medicine cat." _After all, I'm not really LYING. They did imply my destiny was to become a medicine cat, at least I think that's what they meant. I'm just leaving out some -a lot- of the things they told me._

"Oh, ok." The white tom mewed. She heard rapid pawsteps and looked up. A hunting patrol was darting through the tunnel, prey swinging from their mouths. Dawnpaw saw Swiftclaw, Thistletooth, Leopardclaw and Stormpaw. The cats stepped up to the fresh-kill pile to set down their catch.

"Hey, Stormpaw, over here!" Her brother yowled, waving his tail at the pretty she-cat. Their denmate looked up, then trotted over to sit by Frostpaw.

"Where's Sunstorm? I haven't seen her all day." Dawnpaw asked.

"Skycloud told her to move into the nursery early. She's going to have a lot of kits, at least three. You must've still been sleeping, I heard you two didn't get back from the Moonpine until the sun was rising." Stormpaw explained.

She nodded. "Ok, thanks. It was a really far way! Also, you guys know where Sablepaw and Smokepaw are?"

The older apprentice looked up suddenly, blue eyes suspicious. "What do you want with my brother?" She meowed coldly. Frostpaw looked between the two curiously.

"Well, we talked a bit while we were apprentices together, and I just thought it'd be nice to still be friends even though I hardly see him anymore. Why?"

Stormpaw twitched her whiskers. "He asked to hunt alone, I think he's fishing at Sun Brook. Sablepaw is training with Eagleheart, better talk to her later."

"Thanks!" Dawnpaw meowed happily. "See you guys later!" She got to her paws and headed out the tunnel, following the way to Sun Brook. She kept an eye out for herbs on her way there, thinking she could bring some back for the stores later. She scented Smokepaw, as she pushed through the ferns into the clearing Sun Brook ran through.

The grey tabby apprentice was sitting on the same rock she had used the day before, looking intently into the river. A pile of two fish already sat beside him, as his paw darted into the water and pulled out another.

"Nice catch," She mewed.

He raised his head and looked at her sadly, not seeming the least bit surprised. "Thanks," He muttered, looking down at his paws again.

"C- can we talk?" Dawnpaw asked hesitantly.

Smokepaw shook his head. "I promised your father I'd bring back at least four pieces of prey." Her hopes plummeted at his dull tone. "But we can talk later if you want. Let's sneak out and meet here, after everyone else is asleep." He proposed suddenly, turning to meet her eyes. His green ones blazed with all the strength of the forest.

The silver apprentice purred, his words filling her with happiness. "I'd like that. See you then?" Something told her this was a bad idea, but she pushed down the voice. Being with Smokepaw made her feel happy, and they were friends. Just because medicine cats couldn't take a mate or have kits didn't mean she and Smokepaw couldn't meet and talk. _Right?_

"See you then," He agreed, eyes full of happiness, before he turned back to the brook.

She watched him for a moment, then turned and walked back to the camp, collecting some cobwebs on the way.

"I brought some cobwebs," She mewed to Skycloud as she stepped in their den. Her mentor looked up from where she was mixing poultices.

"Good, we were running low. Go put them in the back." Her mentor ordered as she pointed with her tail to the two natural rock shelves they kept supplies on.

Dawnpaw helped Skycloud mix poultices and organize herbs for the rest of the day, until Streamstar called the cats together at dusk for the naming ceremony. She darted out of the den to sit by her littermates, excited to see Nightkit and Moonkit become apprentices. The two sat together beneath the High Ledge, their fur sleek and their eyes gleaming.

"Two Clan kits have reached their sixth moon, and are ready to become apprentices," The tortoiseshell leader meowed. Nightkit leapt to her paws in excitement. "Yes, come forward, both of you." Streamstar said, her eyes flashing with amusement.

"Amberstrike." Dawnpaw felt a rush of surprise at hearing her mother's name, before remembering that she was a warrior now, no longer a queen. "You will be mentor to Nightkit. Nightkit, from now on you will be known as Nightpaw." Amberstrike padded over to stand by her new apprentice.

"Amberstrike," Streamstar continued. "Your time for an apprentice is far overdue, having been postponed by having your own kits. I trust that you will train Nightpaw to be a warrior LightningClan will be proud of."

"Of course," The burnished gold she-cat mewed happily, as she bent to touch her nose to Nightpaw's. The small black apprentice followed her new mentor to the edge of the ring of cats, as she waited for her sister to join her.

"Swiftclaw," Their leader mewed. "You will be Moonkit's mentor. Moonkit, from now on you will be known as Moonpaw." _Swiftclaw is Moonpaw's mentor?! But he's her father!_ The silver medicine cat apprentice thought with surprise.

"Now, I know that it is not tradition for parents to mentor their kits, however with the abundance of apprentices and Stormpaw being transferred to Thistletooth while Sunstorm is in the nursery, we are running a bit low on mentors. You are a skilled warrior and a good father, and I believe you will train your daughter well and without bias." Streamstar explained to the curious looks.

"She will be an excellent warrior," Swiftclaw promised as he touched his nose to his daughter's, then padded across the clearing to join Amberstrike and Nightpaw.

Dawnpaw walked over to the two newly made apprentices to congratulate them, then yowled after her mentor, who was going into their den.

"Skycloud! Can I go out and gather some herbs? I'm not very tired!" She meowed loudly.

The older cat turned her head. "Of course, you slept until almost sunhigh. Just be careful out in the forest alone," She mewed back, and continued her way to her nest. Dawnpaw slipped out of the tunnel and headed to Sun Brook, grabbing some more horsetail on the way for an excuse when she got back. She sat on the largest stone, wrapping her tail neatly around her paws while she waited for Smokepaw. A few minutes later, the smoky grey apprentice pushed through the ferns into the clearing, a vole dangling from his mouth.

"You came," He purred happily, dropping the prey on the rocks.

"Of course," She murmured. "I promised, didn't I?"

He nodded, looking slightly troubled. "Yes..."

"So, when do you think your ceremony will be?" Dawnpaw asked, trying to change the topic.

Smokepaw brightened, his eyes gleaming. "Rainpelt said our final assessment will be in half a moon."

"That's great!" She purred, scooting closer to him. "You'll be a warrior!"

"Yes, and you'll be a medicine cat." He mewed quietly. He turned his head to look up at the sky. "The stars are beautiful tonight," He commented.

Dawnpaw nodded. "Yes, they are. Do you- do you think our ancestors can see us here?"

Smokepaw turned to look at her, looking completely serious. "Yes, I do. But I don't think that's a good thing."

"Why not?" She asked, genuinely curious.

The older apprentice hesitated for a moment, then seemed to make up his mind. "Because I'm in love with you," He meowed strongly, as a thrill of excitement and forbidding ran through the young medicine cat apprentice.

**A/N: So, not a super exciting chapter (once again). A bit of a cliffie at the end, but not a great one. It was WAAYY too predictable. Yeah, I know. Also, I have decided on warrior names for all of my current apprentices, including Nightpaw and Moonpaw! YEAH! Finally done! However, I still need suggestions on kit names. Sunstorm will be having either:**

**two she-cats and one tom**

**one she-cat and two toms**

**two she-cats and two toms**

**three she-cats and one tom**

**So give me some suggestions! :D The kits will probably be born chapter after next. Here's the trivia! (answer to last time in first A/N)-**

**Trivia: What leader of ThunderClan was the one to SUGGEST that Lionpaw's warrior name should be Lionheart?**

**I'll try to have the next chapter up by Thursday- once again, no promises!**


	10. Chapter 8: Part 1

**Yes, I AM aware this is like half the length of my normal chapters. Sorry! But the next one should be up soon, if I don't post it immediately after. N'joy! Oh, and a BIG thanks to Icefeather, Blazingnyancat, Aurorapaw, and jjfoxheartlvr007. The answer to the trivia was Pinestar, and Aurorapaw, you can find the other answers on the previous chapters if you haven't already. Don't forget to review! Also, there is a time skip of about two minutes between this chapter and the last. There may be longer time skips later on in the story. There actually will be one spanning a few days next chapter.**

**EDIT: About 20 minutes after I wrote this. Okay, so I have a good start to the next chapter. I will try my very best to get it up tonight, but I need to take a short break from writing at the moment. I will post this right now, so you don't have to wait on this (short) finished chapter for the next. Expect Chapter 8: Part 2 up in the next three hours, and hopefully I can keep my deadline! :)**

**Disclaimer: I no own.**

**Advised by Fossil Resin: Part 1**

* * *

Dawnpaw pounded through the territory, leaping over fallen trees and duck around brambles, trying to get as far away from Smokepaw as possible. Her fur prickled with unease, this couldn't be happening! _I could have loved him,_ She admitted to herself. _I would have, if I had trained as a warrior. We would've trained together, fought beside one another, had kits together, with my fur and his eyes...NO! I can't afford to think like that. I'm a medicine cat, I swore an oath to follow the path of my ancestors, which means no love life. He'll find another mate, maybe Nightpaw or Moonpaw would do. Or even Sablepaw! _But she felt a spike of jealousy as she thought of her sister twining tails with Smokepaw. _No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no! _She chanted over and over again as she ran. She soon darted right out of LightningClan territory, but she didn't stop. She ran and ran and ran until she couldn't remember her own name, until her legs were numb and her paws stinging with pain she could barely feel. Dawnpaw realized it was raining. Her fur clung dripping to her pelt, as she gazed around. She had dashed all the way up to Twoleg place, their strange dens rising up before her.

"Hi!" Someone meowed from behind her. Dawnpaw jumped and tensed, ready to fight. But the ginger and white housecat simply licked a paw and drew it over her ear.

"You're a long way from home," She remarked. "I'm Amber. What's your name?"

The apprentice studied the kittypet closely, but she didn't seem to be a threat. "I'm Dawnpaw," She mewed cautiously. "I live with LightningClan, in the forest."

"Oh, I know!" Amber chatted excitedly. "I used to live near...what was it called again? Oh yeah, SkyClan! I was thinking about joining, but then my housefolks moved. Shame, right? But I was surprised to know I was living by _another_ Clan! That makes seven, at last count."

Dawnpaw stared at the kittypet incredulously. "_Seven?_"

Amber frowned, tilting her head. "I counted right, didn't I? StarClan, ThunderClan, WindClan, RiverClan, ShadowClan, SkyClan, and LightningClan!" She looked down at her claws that were extended. "Yep, that makes seven! I know about the other four 'cause of Firestar."

Dawnpaw was shocked. "You know Firestar?"

"Know _of_ him." The kittypet corrected. "He restarted SkyClan after it was destroyed; that was before my time though. His story is told to all the kits and newcomers now, and all about the other Clans too. You're an apprentice, since your name is Dawnpaw. Nice to meet you by the way!"

The silvery cat was still wary of Amber, but she seemed friendly enough. "Um, you too, I guess."

The she-cat purred happily. "Oh, but where are my manners? Come inside! It's pouring rats and dogs out here!"

"Into a _twoleg den_?"

Amber shrugged. "It's almost sunset. You're a long way from your Clan, and there's no way you'd get home before moonhigh, at the earliest. Plus, it's raining! My housefolk aren't even home, I just come and leave through the window as I please."

The silver-furred apprentice hesitated for a moment. "I guess it couldn't hurt..." She mused aloud.

"Of course not! Now come." Amber ordered, and darted away over the brick wall. Dawnpaw clambered up after her, surprised a kittypet could jump so high. She slithered down the other side, then followed the other cat through an open space she assumed was the window.

The inside of the twoleg den was huge, and full of strange things. Amber was lying curled up on something soft, one eye open and studying Dawnpaw.

"You can sleep there," She mewed, gesturing to another nest beside her. "It should be comfortable enough. Water and food are over _there_." Cue another tail gesture.

"Thank you," Dawnpaw meowed politely, then padded over to where the water and food was. She sniffed the water; it seemed harmless enough. _Hmm... Tastes bitter, but not much different from rainwater. _The food actually wasn't bad, either. Instead of the pellets she had heard about, it was chunky liquid that looked disgusting but tasted good. It reminded her of pigeon, although the taste was not quite the same. She ate until her hunger was quenched, and gulped down some more water. As she curled up next to the pretty she-cat that had taken her in, she couldn't help but wonder '_How can I ever go back to LightningClan, after what I've done? Smokepaw told me he loved me- and I ran away!'_

* * *

**Instead of a trivia, I have a question for you guys this time.**

**Q: You're OC's crush just confessed his/her love to you, but you're a medicine cat (just pretend your OC's a medicine cat). What do YOU do?**

**Keep suggesting kits for Sunstorm, and see you next chapter! Also, this is going to be the first fanfic in a series of three! Never too early to give me OCs for the second story. No promises, but I tend to try to use all OCs unless there are major problems with them. And remember- I already have a main character, and all characters that are alive from this fanfiction by its end will be in the next.**


	11. Chapter 8: Part 2

**Okay, so I am SO, SO, SO sorry that this update is very very late and very very short. I have actually written this chapter like 5 times, but kept deleting it because it was AWFUL. It's still not very good, and I am really, really sorry about that. By the way, Sunstorm HAS had her kits, even though you won't meet them until the next chapter, and the names are:**

**Mistkit, Tanglekit, Youshallnotknowyetkit, and Tobeconfirmedkit!**

**Thanks to jjfoxheartlvr007 and Icefeather for the name suggestions! Tanglekit's name was suggested by jjfoxheartlvr007, and Youshallnotknowyetkit (that's not really his/her name, just to be clear) was suggested by Icefeather! Also, I may have to change the description of Icefeather's kit a little, based on Duststripe and Sunstorm's appearances. Hopefully you don't mind! Gender will of course remain the same. Oh, and Sunstorm had one tom (Tanglekit) and three she-cats. Tobeconfirmedkit is my OC, and Mistkit belongs to a friend of mine :). **

**Thanks to jjfoxheartlvr007, Icefeather, Kaleb Owen and Leafstar16 for reviewing! You have no idea how much your reviews mean to me. Sorry for the long author's note, and on to the story!**

**Chapter 8, Part 2: Decisions and Realizations.**

Dawnpaw stretched out on the soft nest. She had been staying with Amber for over a moon, and while she knew she'd have to go back eventually, she was inclined to delay her departure as long as possible. _What will I say to Skycloud? She'll be so disappointed in me. I can't even tell her why I left, because I don't want to get Smokepaw in trouble. And Smokepaw! He must hate me now. Actually he's probably a warrior now; Smokeclaw, maybe? Oh... My littermates might even be warriors too, by now. How much have I missed of Clan life? Am I even considered LightningClan anymore? Would they chase me off if I tried to return?_ Too many questions, too many ifs. Yes, it was better to stay with Amber, for now at least.

The kittypet had been very welcoming. She willingly shared her food, water and nests, and told Dawnpaw when to hide because her twolegs, housefolk she called them, were coming. Amber also was full of information about this other Clan called SkyClan, and even knew a bit about ThunderClan, RiverClan, WindClan and ShadowClan. Her faith in StarClan was as strong as any warrior, and Dawnpaw could see the awe in her gaze when she told her about her dreams from their warrior ancestors. _She would've made a good warrior,_ The silvery apprentice mused. _Perhaps I should invite her to come with me if -no, when- I return. _

"Hey Dawnpaw," Amber greeted cheerfully. The pretty white and ginger she-cat padded over, her fur sleek and eyes shining.

"Hi Amber," Dawnpaw mewed in reply. "What do you want to learn today?" She had been teaching the kittypet about healing and herbs.

Amber shrugged. "I don't know... it seems like you've already taught me everything there is to know!" She mrrowed with amusement. "Perhaps I should start teaching _you_ instead!"

Dawnpaw twitched her whiskers. "I've taught you everything _I_ know," She corrected. "Skycloud would know more..." Her words drifted off quietly.

Amber looked troubled. "Have you thought about returning to your Clan soon? I'm sure they are worried about you."

She nodded. "I have, but how can I go back? They probably think I'm dead, so when I come back, they might be relieved at first but then they'll just be disappointed and angry. Smokepaw will hate me now since I ran away like a coward, and he'll actually probably be a warrior now. I'll have missed Sunstorm's kitting, which should've had been my first kitting I helped with as a medicine cat apprentice. And for all I know, my littermates have been made warriors!"

The kittypet's amber eyes, flecked with green, softened. "It will be hard," She agreed. "But you must trust StarClan to guide you. I have loved having you as a friend, yes, but you have been away from your home too long."

They were both quiet for a long while. "You could come with me," Dawnpaw suggested.

Amber shook her head. "No, I would never fit in. You see, SkyClan was disbanded, then recreated. Over half the cats have kittypet or rogue blood. But LightningClan... your clanmates have the blood of your ancestors. They would not accept me, and I would rather wait forever to return to SkyClan than live in a Clan where I would always be unwelcomed."

Dawnpaw blinked. _She is very wise. She can't be more than a season older than me, but she speaks with the wisdom of Skycloud, or Streamstar. _"You are right." She meowed regretfully. "You wouldn't belong in LightningClan, just like I don't belong here. I have to go back, today."

"Go, now," Amber mewed. "Let StarClan give you speed and strength for your journey. Go!" Dawnpaw looked at the kittypet for a moment, nodded gratefully, and leapt for the opening the kittypet called a window. Her paws thudded to the ground as she tensed her muscles, then shot off into the trees lining the edge of twoleg place.

She wove between the trunks and leapt over roots, struggling to remember the path she had taken when she had left, almost two moons ago. She stopped at sunhigh to catch a vole, eating the prey in neat bites. After she had filled her stomach she continued onward, scenting the air for signs of the LightningClan border.

By the time Dawnpaw stumbled over the familiar scent marks, the sun was setting beneath the trees. Her paws ached and her stomach growled with hunger, but she knew the camp was not far off. _It's good to be back, _She thought in wonder, looking around at the undergrowth. Sun Brook was not far away either, just over those rocks and behind some ferns. Suddenly, her nose twitched as she caught a scent. _Patrol!_ Dawnpaw thought, bristling as she tried to remind herself that these were her clanmates, not the enemies she felt like they were.

She waited, crouched on the roots of a tall oak, for the patrol to find her. Dawnpaw heard the crunching of leaves under her pawsteps as Shadewing pushed her way through the bracken followed by Eagleheart, Sablepaw, and _Smokepaw. _

Her sister's amber eyes widened in shock. "Dawnpaw!" She yelped, being the first to break the heavy silence. Shadewing looked suspicious, Smokepaw angry, and Eagleheart pleasantly surprised.

"I thought you were dead!" Sablepaw mewed, rushing up to Dawnpaw and nuzzling her sister. The mottled she-cat had become even more slender and beautiful over the past moon, as lovely as their mother.

Dawnpaw licked her sister's ear. "I'm sorry," She meowed, and realized she genuinely _was_ sorry. Sorry for hurting Smokepaw, sorry for scaring her sister, sorry for letting down her mentor. Sorry for abandoning her Clan.

She looked up and saw Shadewing studying her curiously. She remembered her from the nursery, being a fierce yet gentle mother. Dawnpaw had heard that Streamstar had picked Shadewing as her deputy for her diplomatic skill and fighting abilities, and she was hardly a cat to be trifled with.

"So, you are back," Shadewing stated, her eyes knowingly flickering around the clearing. The tension in the air between Dawnpaw and Smokepaw was tangible. "Skycloud will be glad to have her apprentice again."

The silver apprentice looked at her paws with shame. "I made a mistake," She mewed softly. "But I would like to rejoin the Clan, if you will have me."

Shadewing shook her head. "You can't rejoin." She meowed, and Dawnpaw's stomach dropped two inches.

"As far as I'm concerned, you never left."

**A/N: Just to be clear, cause I was a little confused myself, Shadewing was saying that in her opinion, Dawnpaw had always been a part of LightningClan even when she ran away from them. I PROMISE, for real this time, that the next chapter WILL be up BY WEDNESDAY. **

**Question this time: If you could save any one- and only one -cat that died in any of the Warriors books, which would you save?**

**My Answer: There are so many cats I wish I could save- Firestar, Bluestar, Yellowfang, Silverstream, Cinderpelt, Hollyleaf, etc., etc. But I think my choice would have to be Feathertail. :'(, why did she have to die?! I'm curious to read your answers, so let me know. See you by Wednesday!**


	12. I am so sorry please don't kill me x:

**Hi all,**

**I am really sorry (seriously, I am!) but... yeah, you probably guessed it... chapter 8 part three (the last part) won't be up tonight. I'm sorry, I've just been really busy today and was busy yesterday and didn't have enough time to write. :( I really suck at keeping deadlines, if you haven't already figured that out. Anyway, thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed since the last update, and I PROMISE, promise that the next chapter will be up by FRIDAY. Yes, I know I always break my deadlines. But I swear, I WILL have it up by Friday, or I will fling myself of a cliff. Well, not really LOL. Still. Anyway, I'll try my best to have it up Thursday, actually expect it up Friday cause I am going to be pretty busy Thursday to, but I'll try. Update soon, promise this time!**

**-Melissa, the great and powerful who cannot keep a deadline x: **


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